We will begin with a one-day vote to determine the time period. As soon as the time period is determined nominations will commence. Nominations can be set in and published in any time period, but they should be written during that time period.

The time period vote will close exactly one day from this post; even if the final tally doesn't occur immediately after voting closes, no votes made after that time will count.

Time period votes will be made by post. You will have a number of votes to cast equal to the number of time periods minus one - i.e. TWO. You may give each time period one or two (or no) votes. You may vote all at once in one post or vote in separate posts at different times, so long as you have more votes remaining to cast. You may use any number of your possible votes up to the maximum. Any extraneous votes per person (past their maximum or more than two for one nominee) won't count. Votes cannot be changed once they are cast.

Once voting is complete, the count will be tallied and a winner declared. If there is a tie, first listed wins by default (i.e. the oldest).

-The period of 2001-Present is its own category (Contemporary) and therefore not eligible for the Time Period poll.

Once the time period is determined:

-Nominations will run for three days.-

You may offer up to two nominations. All nominees (so long as they are within the category) will move forward to the vote with no need for support from others.

Once nominations are complete, voting will begin and also occur in this thread.

-Voting will then run for four days.-

I will make a post in this thread to open voting. The vote will close exactly four days from that post; even if the final tally doesn't occur immediately after voting closes, no votes made after that time will count.

Votes will be made by post. You will have a number of votes to cast equal to the number of nominees minus one, which will be specified when the vote begins. You may give each nominee one or two (or no) votes. You may vote all at once in one post or vote in separate posts at different times, so long as you have more votes remaining to cast. You may use any number of your possible votes up to the maximum. Any extraneous votes per person (past their maximum or more than two for one nominee) won't count. Votes cannot be changed once they are cast.

Once voting is complete, the count will be tallied and a winner declared. In the event of a tie, there will be a one-day run-off vote, also in this thread. If the run-off also ends in a tie, then the tie will be resolved in favour of the selection that was nominated first.

We hope that you will read the selection with the club and join in the discussion.

What is literature for the purposes of this club? A superior work of lasting merit that enriches the mind. Often it is important, challenging, critically acclaimed. It may be from ancient times to today; it may be from anywhere in the world; it may be obscure or famous, short or long; it may be a story, a novel, a play, a poem, an essay or another written form. If you are unsure if a work would be considered literature, just ask!

Voting for the time period is now over and we have a two-way tie, and might've even had a three-way tie if fantasyfan had given his other vote to the same period. Either way the result is the same; the tie is broken by first listed/oldest, which means our time period is:

I'll begin by going back to the very beginnings of writing down stories and nominate the Epic of Gilgamesh. From the ancient Sumer and Babylon area/people and formed from various found fragments and versions, it's a short epic poem/collection of tales concerning their religion, about the adventures of a king named Gilgamesh, a hero named Enkidu and their interactions with gods and monsters. It's considered the very first (surviving) great work of literature.